Let the Sparks Fly - Part 1
by Gardienne de la Nuit
Summary: A forgotten sister. A deceived avenger. A guilty fugitive. Three girls. Three powers. Three destinies. Two commonalities. East River. The Slip Kid. One spark. Which one will it be ? (First part : Cassie)
1. Prologue

**Hi guys !**

**So first of all, don't be scared by the mistakes because the chapters are all checked by my kind and amazing corrector Carstairs312 (It's her Wattpad account) but my notes aren't, so mistakes will normally disappear when you'll begin to read the story XD. The cover has been made by Ano0518 (Wattpad account, too).**

**It's my first fanfiction in English and my first The Darkest Minds fanfiction in any languages, be kind ! (But I had to admit I'm proud of it ! :) ) **

**I finished the first part of this story in July and then I decided to translated it, and tonight I decide to post it on FF ! :) The chapters already translated and corrected are posted on Wattpad as well (there are already six chapters online !), so if you want to read them there, I see no problem ! ^^ And if you want to read it in French (who knows...) you can find the French version on my FF profil and also on Wattpad.**

**The story takes place in the first book ! This first part is told by Cassie Lennox, a Blue, who is the girl on the right on the cover ^^.**

**Thanks for reading, **

**Review if you like,**

**Bises Psychotiques,**

**Luna**

* * *

**Prologue**

Running.

Running. Faster. Further.

Even faster. Even further.

Away from this slaughter. All the blood. All the deaths.

Away from _them_.

Running. Jumping. Avoiding roots. Branches. Mud puddles.

My view was blurred. I had no clue if it was due to the rain or my tears. All my senses were boiling. I was aware of my hair stuck on my face, of each piece of my uniform on my skin. If I stopped, I would have ripped off all these pieces of tissue and my skin with them, without any hesitation.

I wanted to end these 4 years of ordeal. Forget them. These last few days, I thought I could escape them but the blood staining my skin was saying the opposite.

I had to get away. Running even faster. Even further.

Blood was buzzing in my ears, mingling with rain and our heavy breathing. And I still couldn't hear them. I was only hearing the scanner's sound and his metal voice.

_Identify. Cassiopée Lennox. Serial number 458 - 937._

This name I hadn't heard for years. This number I had too much heard. Christian's identify had sounded next to me. Then Taylor's.

My blood turned to ice as I thought of the young woman. Only adrenaline could make me keep on running.

Taylor. _Oh my God, Taylor! _She... she sacrificed herself for us. She wasn't wearing her plastic gloves when the PSF had dragged her out of the car. Most had passed out instantly when our car had left the road, but I didn't. Neither did Christian. Or Taylor.

Taylor who was a Yellow. Taylor who had blown the electric devices on the PSF who had caught her. Taylor who had yelled at us to flee.

Christian who had raised me and dragged me into the depths of the woods.

I, who had obliged the PSF to drop the weapon pointed on us. I, who had followed Christian. I, who had abandoned Taylor.

I looked back at my hands. My eyes rose along the blood trails on them, to end up on my uniform. This dull blue I had seen too much, which were now full of red stains. A mixture of the occupants of the car's blood and mine, probably.

I didn't know if I wished there were other survivors or not.

Death was probably better than a life in a camp.

I slipped on a mud puddle I hadn't noticed. I fell forward and stretched out my hands before me as a reflex. I ended up suspended a few inches above the ground, but didn't think of making a movement to put myself back on my feet or to land in the grass where there was no mud. Adrenaline had helped me to trigger my ability, but, usually, I couldn't control it. That's why, seconds later, I fell headlong in the mud.

I could have stayed there for an eternity, I could have drowned in there. I didn't deserve better. I had abandoned them. I could have done something, but I had fled like a coward.

Hands settled on my back, my shoulders, slid under my armpits and got my up. I felt something solid behind my back. A trunk. I had been sat against a tree trunk.

"I think we are far enough. We can take a break. They won't care about us anyway. We might not be worth a lot." Christian scrubbed my face to get rid of the mud. It took me a few moments to realize he was doing it with his uniform.

"Look at the state you're in."

He kept on scrubbing my face with the green cloth before taking my chin to force me to raise my head towards him. He looked at me in the eyes with concern.

"Cassie? Say something!"

He put his hands on my shoulders and only then did I notice my whole body was shaking.

"I... I abandoned them. I.. I could have helped them."

My voice seemed distant, hoarse. It was the voice of a stranger. He observed me a moment before answering with a soft voice.

"There was nothing you could do. Either we stayed with them and they sent us directly to a camp, or we fled."

"They are dead...," I whispered. "They are all dead..."

He remained silent. Christian knew I wasn't speaking of the kids in the car with us. The PSF had no reason to kill them, only if they resisted, but as none of us could really use their powers to hurt someone, I supposed they didn't try anything.

No, I was thinking of all the kids who died three days ago, when we broke out of Caledonia. I had no clue how many children had died. Lots. A hundred, at least.

Because of us. Because of me, Liam, Jack, Chubs and Christian.

Because we had wanted to believe in it. We had promised them we would succeed. Once we would be out, all would get better. They would see their families again. Learn to control their abilities.

They were all dead because we promised them freedom.

And us, we were alive, for the moment. But free... I could only hope it.


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

I pressed my hands to my face and scrubbed harshly. Stubbornly, the dirt refused to leave. It had been so long since I'd had a shower that it must be embedded in my skin. I covered my hand with the cheap soap of the dispenser and began to smear my face with it before rubbing vigorously. I opened the tap completely, closed my eyes and passed my face under the water.

My hands were burning, and it was not only due to the strength I had rubbed my skin with. The cuts on my hands must be reacting with the soap. But after all these years, I got used to pain. A little tingling that couldn't hinder me. When I was done getting rid of the soap on my face, I recovered and leaned above the sink to get closer to the mirror. I had discovered a few days ago, I had a vision problem. According to Christian, I might be myopic. Anyways what was sure was I couldn't correctly see the outlines of my face without being stuck to the mirror.

I observed my reflection for a long time, even after concluding I had removed all dirt possible. We could see a pale, livid skin under rashes due to the rubbing. I always had a round face, but starvation had given it a strange shape. My cheekbones were protruding through my skin. My chestnut brown eyes were dull, even if, according to Christian, they had never shone more than in the last two weeks, since we escaped. My hair was what unsettled me the most. I used to wear it short, to the chin, but 4 years without a hairdresser... It had definitely had time to grow. I slid my finger through my hair, it was now a dirty blond that reached down to my waist.

I sighed. I still felt like I was facing a stranger. Four years without a mirror. Four long years. The only times I could have made an idea of what I looked like were when I met a murky reflection in water. When my face was reflected in Chubs' glasses. When Jack tried to make me smile by assuring me the blue uniform fitted me perfectly.

My heart tightened painfully, and I closed my eyes. Chubs, Jack, Liam. I had no clue if they had coped. I was praying they would. They _had_ to. Chubs was one of the smartest guys I'd ever known, ever more knowing in some sector than a lot of Greens. Jack always could control his ability; he had even tried teaching Chubs and me to control ours, without much success for myself. And Liam had set up the rebellion of Caledonia's kids, and as he had been a part of the Children's League, he should be able to take care of himself. So if the three of them had stayed together, it was sure they were all right. Coming up with this observation, I released my breath, exhaling slowly through my mouth. My grip slackened on the sink.

Blows sounded against the door. I released a cry of surprise and recoiled, my heart in my mouth. With a febrile hand, I cleared my hair from my face and moved it back. That was probably just Christian, signifying he was sick of waiting for me. When I was about to open my mouth to tell him I was almost done, the person behind the door spoke.

"Madam? Is Everything okay? You've been in there for a while."

Each fibre of me froze. It wasn't Christian. It was a man's voice, definitely older than the Green. The gas station's owner. No, no, no, no, no! It seemed like he was sleeping behind his counter when I came in, but he must have seen me anyway. At any rate, he had not seen my face. Or he would never have called me _madam_. He would simply have contacted the authorities, I guess. I stared at the door, eyes wide, without daring to move. _Think, Cassie, think._ What could I do? If I answered, he would figure out my voice was very young. But I could have been 20, right? A 17-year-old girl's voice couldn't be so different from a 20-year-old girl's one, especially through a door.

"Madam?"

I jumped when he spoke again. What the hell could I do ?! I had to react. If I didn't answer, he would come in and see how old I was. And I would be screwed. I could still block the door, but there was no lock, and the small bin in the corner wouldn't slow him down. My power was the only remaining option. I was telekinetic, I could be able to block a door, couldn't I? I looked nervously around me. I didn't see any other way out. If I prevented him from getting in, I could limit my chances of getting out. Bad idea.

My brain was running at full speed, blood was drumming in my ears on a frenetic pace while time slowed down. I had to find something, whatever it could be! What I wouldn't give to be Green now! A Green would have had a brilliant idea. But Christian had stayed near the car.

I had just decided to answer him, never mind if my voice betrayed me when the man opened the door. Our gazes met and, if time was slowing time before, this time, it stopped altogether. He opened his mouth and closed it after a few seconds without any sound coming out, without ceasing to stare at me. I slowly raised my hands before me, not knowing if it was to mimic a kind of defensive position or if it was to avoid scaring him.

"I won't hurt you. I am not dangerous."

He blinked as if my voice had broken him out of his trance. He mimicked a goldfish a few times before looking me right in the eyes.

"You... you are a Psi?"

I nodded slowly.

"Yes. But don't worry. I'm not dangerous. I beg you, don't call the authorities. I... I'm leaving."

My voice took pleading inflexions, and I couldn't prevent it from shaking. I wondered if I was about to burst into tears, praying for it not to be the case. I had just retaken control of my emotions and stopped crying all of the time. I could have pushed him to get out of the room as it suddenly became too small, but I feared his reaction if I got closer. No talking about touching him.

He observed me for a while before nodding.

"No. I won't call them. You don't have to worry."

Hearing his answer, I stared at him, breathless. I didn't really expect that. Not at all, to be honest. He seemed truthful. I didn't know if he was already thinking of not denouncing me or if it was my terrified look which had convinced him, but whatever it was, it was a blessing.

"Real... really?"

He smiled.

"Really. Come on, get out of this bathroom."

He took a step back and gestured to the outside. Chubs' voice sounded in my mind like a warning. _You have never been good at recognizing liars. Who says he is truthful? He has maybe already called the PSFs._ I shook my head. No. I couldn't let my paranoia gain the upper hand on me. _Listen to him, Cassie. If I am too kind, you, you are too naïve. Or at least not wary enough._ I winced. Lee wouldn't get started, too! And it was an imaginary Liam Stewart who was reproaching me for not being cautious enough. The world was turning upside down.

When he understood I wouldn't pass before him, the man-made its way to the gas station's shop and I followed him two meters away. And, frankly, this man didn't seem able to hurt a fly. With his baldness, his few hairs left as white as his beard and his paunchy belly, he looked like Santa. Okay, it was a weak argument, I knew it, but I couldn't distrust everyone all the time. My mental health wouldn't survive.

We came in, and Christian froze when he saw us. He was clearly stealing things in the shop. The three of us knew he wasn't planning on paying for them. The adult waved him away briefly.

"Help yourself. If it can help you a bit."

The young man frowned and looked at me. I shrugged. Santa got to the counter and threw me a look.

"Are you coming from a camp?"

I acquiesced.

"It means you are cured?"

Like it was punctuating his question, the radio which was until them broadcasting country music on a low volume gratified us with a spot in the camps' favour. Like it could convince hiding kids to submit to the PSFs. "If I can be cured, you can be cured." From afar, I saw Christian, standing on a step to catch something high, look up to the ceiling.

I sighed.

"There is no cure. The government is lying to all of you. Nobody has ever been healed from a camp. Even this Clancy Gray, I'm sure."

"All the more if they really had found a cure, Gray would make more healed kids parade. Beginning with his second tyke. Sent in England before the beginning of the IAAN epidemic, so not sick. That's it, my ass!"

The man frowned while I looked at Christian to indicate him it wasn't the right moment. I sighed and shrugged.

"So if they aren't trying to heal you... what's happening in the camps?"

We remained silent. Only two weeks since we escaped Caledonia. We didn't want to think about it again. We wanted the stay the farthest we could from our memories of this damn camp.

"My granddaughter is there, he pleaded. She is only 12. We don't know anything."

I sighed and looked down.

"Do you know her colour? Green, Blue, Yellow...?"

I didn't dare to name other colours. I had never met an Orange. There was none in Caledonia. No Red, no Orange. There was a Red in the coach that had brought us, Christian and I, in this Virginia's camp. He was sitting right beside me, next to the window. He tried to reassure me, seeing how much I was terrified. My foster family had just delivered me to the PSFs who were doing the Collections. His name was Mason. Like I couldn't stop shaking, he must have concluded I was cold. A tiny flame had danced in his hand. As soon as the PSF had noticed, he had hit him with his butt behind the head. Mason had passed out instantly and didn't regain consciousness. I had never seen him again since.

"Blue. She was a Blue," Santa answered, dragging me from my thoughts.

I nodded and smiled slightly. Obviously, life in camp had nothing to begrudge, but for the Blues, it was at least more natural than for the others. Us, the PSF dared less to beat us. Green powers didn't allow them to defend themselves and Yellow had to wear plastic gloves to avoid all kinds of problems to the PSF and to the camp's infrastructure. But like the Blues were more able to defend themselves and potentially hurt the PSFs, it was rarely us who was dragged in dark corners when they wanted to.

"So she doesn't risk much," I said. "Apart from executing exhausting and monotonous tasks." I kept the rest for myself, the camps' darkest sides. Starvation. Dirty water. Hygiene practically missing. Talking prohibition. I shook my head to not fall into my dark thoughts.

Christian professed to come down from the step before frowning. He went up again to look over the shelves, through the window before going pale. I turned to see what he had noticed when they came through the doors.

PSFs.

The man betrayed us.


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

The blood deserted my face while the two members of the Psi Special Forces stepped into the gas station's shop. I watched them making their way to the counter against which I was leaning like everything went in slow motion. During their whole progress, I slapped myself mentally. For God's sake, why did I decided to trust this man? He had said he wouldn't call the PSFs... obviously since he had already called them! My heart was beating so fast it seemed trying to get out of my chest while my breath rushed.

Santa -who was suddenly not so cool anymore- looked up to the PSFs and gave them a highly professional smile.

"Gentlemen. What can I do for you?"

I lowered my head for them not to see my face, observing them through my hair. They seemed quite young, I didn't think them more than 30. And they were not in an offensive position. Their attitude was composed like I rarely saw PSFs act. _They aren't here for you_, whispered a tiny voice in my head. Even if I trusted this voice -and I didn't- I couldn't relax while they were there. I had to stay ready to flee if needed. Christian didn't move from his step, but I could see him tensing up. And even if these men weren't aggressive, their guns, their scanner, and the device producing this horrible sound were still suspended on their belts, like a threat.

"Is there a way to refuel?" One of them with a very high voice for a man asked. "Or do you not have gas anymore?"

"Sure, sure. Tell me how many litres you want, I'll take care of it. Maria, can you finish filling the shelves? Boxes are in the reserve room."

It took me a moment to understand that the one called Maria well... was me. And that was only his insisting look which made me realise. I nodded and recovered a bit to round the counter. I felt the PSFs' gazes following me, but the man's voice prevented them from continuing.

"Come with me, I'm gonna fill your gas tank."

I had a look I was hoping casual over my shoulder to see the two men nod. One of them still looked at Christian, frowning.

"How old are they, your employees? They seemed quite young to me..."

My eyes went wide. If they asked to see our ID or, worse, if they tried to scan us to verify we didn't appear on PSF's network, we would be screwed. The gas station's owner laughed, but his laughter seemed a bit too forced.

"You think so? I've always thought Chico was looking older than his 20. By the way, Chico, when you're done, you give a hand to Maria?"

Like a good Green, Christian understood in the half-second and nodded.

"Got it, boss," he answered with a perfect Mexican accent.

Christian nodded again, and I understood from his gaze that he got something I didn't. One of the PSFs left ahead, but the one with the high voice stayed with us, watching my friend with a suspicious look.

"Relax, Officer. Your colleagues who came two weeks ago reacted like you did. They've already checked. They are only students that I am helping. Universities are expensive, you know," concluded Santa before glancing at Christian. "Don't tire yourself on this alarm. If it resists you so much, we'll call an electrician."

He clenched his teeth and leaned forward before answering with the same magnificent Mexican accent.

"I can handle it."

The manager declared to bring out the PSF remaining with him, but he headed for Christian. He opened his mouth but, a moment later, the fire alarm sounded in the room, hurting our eardrums. I flattened my hands on my ears with a grimace. Christian proudly brandished a screwdriver coming out from I didn't know where.

"When I said, I could handle it!"

Santa, hands also flattened on his ears, mumbled. "Yes, and now try to stop this damn alarm, Chico!"

He made an OK with his hand, wincing as his eardrum was closer to the alarm's sound. The PSF didn't have to be coaxed to get out after the oldest. I sighed in relief. Christian professed to focus on the clock, while I watched the three men outside. The manager refuelled the PSFs' car. With the most atrocious slowness possible, I saw them take their wallet, pay Santa and get in the car. The fire alarm was still resonating, but I didn't hear it anymore. I kept my eyes on the road without blinking until it totally disappeared. I closed my eyes and counted mentally until 180 seconds to make sure they wouldn't come back. It was maybe useless, but it was our rule with Christian. As soon as something seemed suspicious to us or as we were thinking that we were being followed, we hid and waited. I opened my eyes when I was done with counting, and the alarm stopped a few seconds after. Meeting Christian's gaze, I knew he had done the same as me.

I jumped when noticing the man behind his counter again. I didn't hear him coming in.

"Thank you. Thank you for not denouncing us", I blew.

He gave me a solemn nod while Christian joined us. He raised his eyebrows.

"Why Chico?"

The owner seemed sheepish. "Aren't you Mexican?"

I frowned and exchanged a perplexed look with the young man. I detailed him quickly. His complexion was dark just like his eyes and hair, but from there to say he was Mexican... There was margin. And for myself I was blonde with pale skin so... The Green's laughter sounded before he answered.

"Not at all! Our families are Canadian," he explained. "Maybe that's it, the accent."

He succeeded in mistaking a Canadian accent for a Mexican accent? Really? The man frowned even more."How...?"

"I'm Green", he said, shrugging. "The wise guys. Computing, math, logic... That's my superpower."

The adult nodded and looked at me like he was waiting for me to explain to him what my power was. I sighed.

"Blue, telekinetics. Like your granddaughter."

In front of his perplexed look, I felt like I had to explain. It was true the general public didn't know much about us.

"We can move objects without touching them. I won't make a demonstration. I haven't mastered it enough for it to not be dangerous. But I'm not dangerous!" I added in a hurry, raising my hands.

Out of the corner of my eyes, I saw Christian rolling his eyes. Yet I was telling the truth. Blues were only second on the government's scale. Even if with practice, we could break someone's neck without any problem, that was nothing in comparison with the other powers. I had rarely seen Yellow in action, but Reds could start a fire with their will only, and I didn't dare imagine what an Orange could do.

The man nodded before smiling."So if you aren't Chico and Maria, can I know your names?"

I didn't hesitate.

"Cassie. And his, it's Christian."

I stuck my hand out, which he shook with even more enthusiasm.

"Luc Cromwell."

A bit behind me, Christian kept quiet. I could feel his disapproval. He thought I wasn't wary enough, I knew it. But Greens had a high inclination to paranoia if you want my opinion. It wasn't Liam's voice I should have heard just now, Christian's one.

"I can't give you accommodation, but you can take whatever you want in the shop. And I'll give you an extra can of gas, for the road."

I stared at Luc, wide-eyed. If I had expected this... The only adults I had rubbed shoulders with in the last four years were PSFs who would have died to kill me, so someone so generous... It had a funny effect.

"Er... Hmm... Thanks. Thank you very much."

Smiling at me, Luc nodded.

"By any chance, you don't have any clothes?" Asked Christian. "We have been wearing the same for days. It was these or our camp's uniforms."

The adult seemed sceptical. He thought a moment before consenting, adding he was going to see if he had something in the reserve room. When Luc was out of sight, Christian took my arm and pulled me backwards.

"I know you tend to believe that every people who are kind to you are genuinely helpful, but don't you think it's too good to be true?"

I sighed and looked down while playing nervously with a strand of hair. "Yes... But we can't distrust absolutely everyone. Our mental health won't survive this, and you know it. Then... if he wanted to condemn us, he would have done it while de PSFs were there, don't you think?"

He leaned on a shelf and crossed his arms.

"He could as well want to turn us into the government himself to receive the money. And we just told him I had no offensive power and you can't use yours. That wasn't very cunning."

I raised an eyebrow. "You're the Green, and you still were the first one talking about your ability! And, really, did you give him a look? I'm sure we would have time to run away if he tried anything."

He opened his mouth to respond, but Luc's pace sounded behind us. I turned over, and he handed us a half-full grey bag.

"Sometimes, I receive clothes. To my mind, the delivery man delivers a clothes shop after me and gives me too many boxes. Take what you need. Even everything if you want, I have no use."

That's how about forty minutes later, the two of us had filled up with clothes. There were not many clothes at our size, but even if they were too small or too large, we had at least spare clothes. I could find black jeans that fit me perfectly, and so I had scurried myself to put them on. I had also put on a bit too large burgundy sweatshirt on but which didn't prevent from moving; it was the most important thing. I had filled a backpack with some other clothes and hastened to clean in the bathroom sink the ones I was wearing. However, Luc couldn't give us new shoes, and so I had to keep the old and almost punctured Adidas I had found in a dumpster on the day we got rid of our uniforms.

As soon as our clothes were dry, we closed our bags and, after saying goodbye clumsily to Luc, Christian went putting our bags in the car. I knew him enough to know that Luc's gesture had touched him, but I also knew he wouldn't express it. For my part, I didn't know how to act. The situation seemed the strangest to me. But when the adult came back, I took him in my arms to thank him. Gestures could count more than words. He held me against himself in return.

"Thank you, Luc. Thank you for everything."

He moved away and put his hands on my shoulder.

"That's normal, Cassie. If it could help you out. Where are you going?"

I sighed. "Ontario. Going home."

"Oh. Canada built a wall to avoid the spreading of the disease. I don't think you will be able to pass."

My heart tightened, and I froze. A wall? Did it mean they had closed land borders? We couldn't go home? I closed my eyes for a long time. I didn't dare imagine what state my parents would be in.

We were free, but we couldn't even come home. We were trapped in the United States. We had literally nowhere to go. I sighed, thanked Luc one last time and got in the car in the direction of... nowhere. A safe place, if possible.


	4. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

We had been driving across Virginia for a week. No, we had more like wandered across the state. We didn't really have any idea of a place to go. We could evade Skip Tracers and PSFs, but for how long?

Christian had persisted in teaching me how to drive despite my vision problems. They weren't so bad according to him, and we could still find old glasses somewhere. Even if I doubted his sincerity, he insisted I handled driving not so poorly. Yeah... according to myself, it was a blessing there wasn't much traffic anymore. But when I couldn't avoid risking getting us into an accident, I gave the wheel to Christian who took it without -_too much_\- grouching.

We were in one of those moments. Christian was driving silently and slowly, with a background of classical music in the car. I would never understand his fascination with classical music. I wasn't a massive fan of heavy metal or electro music, but classical... it lulls me to sleep. So today, when I was already exhausted when I woke up, the radio he had chosen wasn't helping me. Head stuck between the window and the headrest, I was dozing, lulled by the music and the motor's purring. It had taken me an eternity to find a comfortable position. I had felt a weight in my chest since yesterday, and I had no clue what it was or how to get rid of it. Maybe crying a lot would help, but I was getting seriously fed-up with crying.

I made myself not cry back in Caledonia. Not even once. So the day we broke out... I cried my body's all tears in relief. I had reassured me I wasn't the only one crying. Even boys did. And I cried again for three days when Christian and I had to abandon the others to the PSFs. But now it was better. When I was thinking about it, I tried to recall they had only been sent to Caledonia again. They weren't dead. Although a camp was still a camp, they would pull through. They had to.

"Cassie? Are you with me?"

I opened my eyes and recovered. I released a sleepy groan, turning towards him.

"What?"

He shook his head after taking a quick look at me. "You were moaning in your sleep. You seemed to be having a nightmare. I've been trying to wake you up for minutes."

Really? I had fallen asleep? I didn't even notice it... I smiled slightly.

"Don't worry. I'm good. That's kind."

He looked at me for a moment. "You're sure? You haven't been looking good for a few days. I mean, worse than usual. You have lots of dark rings!"

I rolled my eyes. He _really_ knew how to talk to women...

"Thank you, Christian, it's always charming to hear", mumbled I before sighing. "It is just hard to have a good night of rest in this shabby Dacia, waiting for a PSF or a Skip Tracer to flush us out."

He stared at me for a moment before looking at the road again silently. He wasn't convinced, I could see it. But what did he want more? It was the truth. I was sure I already had dark rings in Caledonia, probably bigger!

"It's just that? You're sure?"

I sighed and closed my eyes for a second. "I've got a headache," I confessed. "The car, probably. Would it bother you if we took a break? Only fifteen minutes."

"Even two hours if you want! It's not like we have somewhere to go..."

I winced a smile hearing his ironic tone. He started slowing down and looked around us to find a place where we could stop. The advantage was that Virginia was quite woody. After about ten minutes, he finally turned in a copse. As soon as he had turned off the motor, I jumped out of the car to breathe the fresh air outside. My vision went dark for a second, and I blinked a few times, holding to the van. I shook my head.

"Cassie?"

"Hmm?"

"You cover the car?"

I turned toward Christian to see he had thrown one of our bags on his shoulder. Like they all looked alike, I didn't know which one it was. Probably the one with the food. I didn't even hear him opening the trunk. I nodded and stretched my hand out. I had trained these last days. As well as the driving lessons, Christian had persisted in wanting me to learn to control my abilities. He remembered lessons Jack and Liam had tried to give Chubs and I. And I was beginning to cope with my power, to tell the truth. I could only move not too heavy objects, but it was already that. I had tried using my ability on my friend, but except for making him fall on the ground, nothing happened. But moving tree's branches as I pleased for them to cover our car was a lot less hard than lifting an 18-year-old boy. When I was done, we descended into the woods to find a place to pitch our tent. It was only 4 PM, but we already decided to stay there for the night.

"You give me the tent?"

Christian turned briskly towards me with a mocking look. "I'm pretty sure you can't set up a tent." I winced. He was right. But I wanted to try. With my ability.

The young man, who must have understood with my look only, rolled his eyes.

"That's a no. You will only result in tearing it."

"But! Cricri, come ooooooooooooooooooooon!"

He shot daggers at me, and I gave him an innocent smile. I knew he detested when he was called this. But for my part, I loved calling him like this very much. He put the backpack on the floor with a disdainful sigh.

"Now you don't have any chances left I let you do it."

He opened the bag to put himself on work, but I took the case containing the tent away from him with my gift. He looked at me reproachfully, and I answered, smiling with all my teeth.

"I should never have trained you," he mumbled.

"It's true, you shouldn't have," I smiled.

I groaned. I couldn't even open the bag. After seven attempts, I sighed and gave it back to Christian. He laughed before hurling that we must always listen to the Green. I sat on the floor, waiting patiently for him to be done. I put my hand on my forehead. My headache was getting worse. I who had hoped March's fresh air would make it disappear... it was a failure.

A while after, Christian turned towards me, probably to announce he was done with the tent when he froze. The same way he did when he saw the PSFs, back in the gas station. My heart skipped a beat, and I turned around, unable to determine if I did fast or slowly. Two figures were making their way to us. Impossible to decide on how old they were. All in all, Christian's idea was maybe not so bad when he wanted to train me. Nevertheless, the young man didn't seem to be as safe as I was in my abilities because he caught my arm and dragged me behind a tree.

Everything went very fast.

A circle of heat formed on my stomach while the Green's grip on my forearm disappeared. I went breathless when my back violently hurt a tree trunk. Christian's moan of pain echoed mine. I beat in the air with my feet without thinking, but I ended up at least two meters above the ground. Okay, they weren't adults, that was for sure.

The two figures caught up with us. In spite of the fact I couldn't distinguish their features from where I was, I guessed two girls as old as I was. One of them had long blue electric hair, and her two arms were stretched out. Blue, doubtless. The second one with coffee-coloured skin was alternately pointing a gun towards my direction, then Christian's. I didn't know if it was the shock with the tree, the height or an independent factor, but my headache was getting worse. I bit my lip while bright spots were dancing in my field of view for a few seconds. I could have tried to disarm the one of mixed race, but my arms were firmly flattened against the wood. God, this Blue was very much more gifted than I was!

"Chill", said Christian. "We're like you. I'm 18, and she's 17."

"You, you shut the fuck up," groaned the girl with the gun, aiming it at my friend.

I couldn't see his expression, because she had sent him on the other side, but I could easily imagine him pursing his lips.

"Your colors," barked the one with blue hair.

Her face was turned towards me, and her friend just yelled on Christian, so I deduced she was talking to me. "Blue. He is a Green."

The Blue took a look at the girl with the gun who nodded. She lowered her arms, and I crashed on the floor without holding back a cry of pain.

"Couldn't you watch just a little bit?" Mumbled I.

She rolled her eyes. "Sorry, Blondie. I didn't want you to break a nail."

I rumbled hearing the nickname. I didn't really dislike the fact she was calling me "Blondie", but Jack used to call me that in Caledonia. And hearing this nickname reminded me painfully we had absolutely no clue what he had become. The blue-haired girl passed quickly to something else and waved the other girl for her to put her weapon away. I thought I saw her putting it under her jacket in what seemed to be a shoulder holster. I recovered and joined them a second after Christian did. Closely, I could see pink strands were scattering the girl-with-the-gun's hair.

"Could we know the name of the girl who just threw us out against a tree and of the one who threatened us with her gun?"

The blue-haired girl smirked. "Vida. And that's Lydie. And could I know the name of those I just threw out against a tree?" Added she on the same tone as Christian's.

"Cassie."

"Christian."

Vida nodded. In the corner of my sight, I saw my friend observing more or less discreetly the other girl, Lydie. I didn't need an enhanced intelligence to know he was trying to guess what her colour was. I had to admit this question was also preoccupying myself. The colours the government had given us weren't tattooed on our forehead yet, but in some situations like this one, it could have been useful. This girl was probably not a Blue. Another way Vida wouldn't have bothered lifting both of us on her own... right? It wasn't very likely she was a Red or an Orange because they were scarce, and she wasn't wearing plastic gloves, which meant she wasn't a Yellow neither. Green was the only one left. It seemed to be the most logical, as the Greens were the most widespread.

"You were planning on camping here?" asked Lydie.

Christian opened his mouth, but before he could say a word, she asked if it were a problem if they also would camp there for the night. I raised an eyebrow and exchanged a look with Christian. Technically, even if we said it was a problem... they could decide to force us to go further to leave them the place. We knew they had the upper hand on us. But on the other side, even if these girls were Psi... I wasn't really reassured to sleep next to strangers. Armed strangers, what is more.

The Green opened his mouth again then closed it before opening it once again. "A priori, no. Forest owes to everybody. And we can make more guard duty like that."

I threw an astonished look to the young man. He seemed as surprised as I was to have said that. Maybe more. But his justification seemed sensible. We weren't safe for a skip tracer or a PSF coming by, and guard duties were a mandatory step. The more of us there were, the more each of us could sleep.

Lydie nodded. "Perfect."

She turned on her heels, before throwing a look to Vida over her shoulder. "I'm going to get our tents."


	5. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

"And where are you going?" asked Lydie before having an amused smile. "Let me guess... East River?"

We were sitting in the grass in front of our tents. When the girls had been done setting up theirs - and pretty much faster than Christian did - Vida hastened to light a fire. We were in March but its heat was quite appreciable.

I frowned and exchanged a look with Christian. I had never heard of it and obviously neither had him.

"East River?"

Lydie rolled her eyes before mumbling. "Never mind. Good for you if you don't know. It's probably only a dream shared by desperate kids."

Vida sighed. "It's a kind of a shelter," she explained. "Run by the Slip Kid. Rumor says that he has escaped government four times and that he is an Orange. There would be quite enough food, shelter, a place to sleep... these kinds of things."

The Blue's tone clearly implied she didn't really believe in it. Lydie gave her a reproachful look before having an half-smile.

"Don't give them any false hopes. I don't see how such a place could exist. And I don't see why an Orange would bother themselves running such a place either."

Christian raised an eyebrow. "So you aren't looking for East River?"

Vida burst out laughing and shook her head. "Dear God, no! Even if this place does exist, it should be boring... We work for the League. Ever heard of it?"

I froze and swallowed with difficulty. The League? Like the Children's League? Here was why Vida seemed to have a perfect control over her power. Because she truly had. And there was no doubt she would be able to kill us by only raising her hand if she wanted to. Liam was part of the League during a few months, before he got arrested. They taught him how to master his gift... and how to kill someone. Liam left the Children's League because he thought it was too violent. And regarding how these girls had greeted us when we met, I could only agree with him.

I met Christian's gaze and he shook discreetly his head. I frowned. Why did he want to hide from them we know the League? I mentally shrugged. After all, he was the Green, I was going to trust him.

"Vaguely," said he. "Pieces of some PSFs' conversations."

Vida raised an eyebrow and leaned forward, elbows on her knees, suddenly concerned. "And could we know on which occasion you found yourself listening to PSFs' conversations?"

She seemed really interested in the answer we were going to give. I looked away. I wanted to leave Caledonia behind us. And yet everything seemed wanting to bring me back there. But it was only three weeks ago, maybe it was normal. Christian threw me a look but I remained silent. He must have understood that I wasn't going to talk, because the corner of his lips picked up in a provocative smile.

"Why do I have the intuition you already know the answer?"

I raised my eyes towards him, skeptical. Even if I knew he loves irony, I had never heard this tone. What was he playing? A crazy idea crossed my mind and I stared at him, speechless. He wasn't flirting with Vida?! We knew them for less than two hours! No. No, Christian wasn't like that. Not that I know.

A new burst of migraine made me wince and I bit my lip a few seconds, closing my eyes.

"You were in a camp. Caledonia, weren't you?"

It didn't sound like a question and everything in Lydie's attitude was implying she was sure of what she was saying. Christian nodded. I frowned and looked to the young woman. "How do you know?"

The three of them looked at me as if I was a fool. I sighed. I didn't have an enhanced intelligence like some and my headache was keeping me from thinking correctly... I had mitigating circumstances !

"Because Caledonia is probably the only camp from where kids escaped. It happened less than a month ago, and we aren't so far. Elementary, my dear Watson."

I kept a wince. This girl was a Green, there was no doubt anymore. Christian seemed to think. He looked to the two girls, frowning slightly. "As you're part of the League... You have access to the skip tracers' network?"

"We've got a key to crack the PSFs one if needed," answered Vida. "It's more complete. Why?"

The Green looked at me, silently asking if he should say it or not. The problem ? I had absolutely no clue of what he could be thinking about. I shook my head very slightly to make him understand this. He sighted. "We have friends whom broke out from the camp at the same time as us. We don't know what they have become. We want to know if..."

"...if they got caught a second time or not," completed Vida. "I see. If we find a computer, we'll let you have a look."

"Thank you," blew I.

The end of the evening took place in a very strange atmosphere. We didn't really trust Lydie nor Vida, but we couldn't totally mistrust them. I knew it was the same for their side. The four of us were Psi, the four of us were in the same shit. But... the end justifies any means, right? If they were truly desperate, they could steal our supplies, our car or I didn't know what else. Oh the other hand, they didn't look desperate at all. But it didn't mean wariness wasn't a requirement. It wasn't because, them, they wouldn't steal us that others wouldn't. We finished by going to sleep and I was upset of not having the first guard duty. I preferred this one because it didn't imply to wake up. No because seeing how long it took to me to emerge, if we were attacked in the first thirty minutes of my guard duty, we were screwed. But no, they had given me the fourth one, the last one. And Vida was scaring me too much for me to dare asking her to exchange. She seemed all but nice. Worse luck, I would deal with it.

* * *

I had hoped my nightmares were over. I had told myself that Caledonia's end, freedom's beginning, all of this, all of this first few days' euphoria would allow me to have no nightmares anymore. I couldn't have been more wrong. My ancient demons had been replaced by new ones. Even worse.

My mind had fun showing all that could have happened to my friends, the ones the PSFs had caught. A little part of me knew they were probably still alive but another one was showing me stubbornly the worst scenarios in what could have happened to them. I couldn't even distinguish what had really happened from what hadn't. Those who died in the car accident. Those the PSFs shot while aiming for me. Taylor who died for us to flee.

I knew I was dreaming. I knew it. I just had to wake up. Weren't we supposed to wake up once we realised we were dreaming? I couldn't. All these dead, all these possible dead caught me with their freezing hands and drowned me deeper in the dream with them. They caught me where they could. These too numerous hands.

I finished waking up screaming. I looked bitterly around me, shaking. I brought my knees against my chest and held them against me while trying to catch my breath. I couldn't remember ever having a dream so horrible. So real.

"Cassie?"

I jumped and turned my head to Christian. This one had sat up in his sleeping bag and was looking at me with sleepy eyes.

"Nightmare?"

I nodded, my teeth chattering. He spread his arms with a slight smile. "Come here. I accept to be your teddy bear for this night."

I smiled and stood up, heaving myself with difficulty out of my sleeping bag. I laid down beside the young man and nestled against him. Or I was planning to. He put a hand on my forehead since I laid beside him.

"Dear God, you're burning up!"

I winced, hearing him shouting, causing a new wave of migraine. I thought it was gone, but obviously I just got used to it.

"You don't have to shout so loud", mumbled I. "I'm just next to you."

"I spoke normally, Cassie."

He frowned. He must have understood that I still had a headache and his gaze became worried. I could almost see his brain's machinery getting busy.

"You're sick."

"I am not sick."

He clicked his tongue. "Don't contradict the Green, Cassiopée, you should know it."

"I contradict the Green if I want," retorted I on the same tone.

However, I couldn't resist the urge to stick my tongue out at him what made him rolling his eyes. He sighed deeply. "I hate it when you are tired. You become a real kid. And it seems to be worse when you've got a fever."

My turn to sigh. I stood. Now I didn't want to stay with him anymore. I grabbed the cheap watch I had found in the gas station to state it was almost 4:30 a.m.

"I don't have a fever. You know very well I am always getting too hot when I sleep."

"Don't try to lie. I slept with you for more than a week. You don't."

I crossed my arms. I had no way out. He would have the last word no matter what I could say, I knew it.

"Okay. Maybe I am a little bit sick. But I promise there is no reason to worry. It's probably only a bad cold. I feel good. I'm gonna take my guard duty, Lydie can sleep a little bit more like that."

He stared at me, not very convinced, but didn't protest. I got out of the tent and the cold air jumped to my face, awakening me totally. I closed my eyes, feeling the wind lifting my hair. Since I was a little girl, I had always adored this sensation, even if I ended up with my hair mussed up most of the time. In Caledonia when we had to work in the vegetable garden no matter the weather, it always pleased me a bit to feel the wind on my face. Like it was supporting me.

"You had a bad dream?"

I reopen my eyes and turned my head towards Lydie, sitting cross-legged a few meters away from the fire. She was playing with her gun, making it whirl between her fingers and I suddenly hoped she had put the safety catch on.

"I screamed?"

She nodded. "Not very loud, I reassure you. You don't seem to have woken Vida up. Otherwise we would have heard her yelling for kilometres around."

I took an amused smile and sat on a tree trunk. "Don't go waking Vida up in the middle of the night except for an imminent danger. Noted."

Lydie burst out laughing. "Don't go waking her up except for a mortal danger, or else she's the mortal danger when she doesn't have enough sleep. And the morning... Better to not talk to her much. Only when necessary."

"Good to know," smiled I.

I didn't know how long we would "live" with these girls, but seeing how they both had a very worrying side, I preferred knowing the do's and the don'ts. Although, at this time, her face only lit by the fire's light and joking about her team member, Lydie was suddenly becoming less intimidating. If we forgot the weapon dancing mechanically in her hand. While she was speaking, I forced myself to stare at her and not to the gun, to not betray how ill-at-ease I was with firearms. Especially when they were used to threaten me 12 hours earlier.

"You can go to sleep it you want. My guard duty begins in a quarter. I can take it in advance."

She raised her eyebrows in an astonished look. I had to bite my lip to not laugh. At this time, she seemed directly out of a cartoon. It didn't really fit with her character.

"You are sure ? You will make it until six?"

I nodded before wincing. I felt as if I had a jackhammer in my skull. We would really have to find some aspirin as quick as possible.

"Yes, don't worry. If I feel I can't hold until my guard duty's end I would wake Christian up," chuckled I.

I willingly spoke louder for him to hear me, but he seemed to have fallen back asleep. Lydie giggled following my gaze to the tent. She must had understood. She looked back at me, suddenly serious. She stood up before asking, "You can use it ?"

I stared at her, perplexed. What was I supposed to be able to use ? She shook what was in her hand and I looked down. Oh. Her gun. I shook my head in the negative. She sighed and shrugged. "Never mind. If there is a problem... scream."

Without really knowing why, I couldn't keep a thrill. Her tone sent chills up my spine. I looked at her until she went back in the tent she was sharing with Vida. I laid down on the floor to contemplate the stars. The night would be long.

"Holy shit, it's not possible! Lydie!"

I jumped hearing Vida's voice. I turned my head to both girls' tent, curious. I shouldn't have listened but I had nothing better to do.

"Don't you want to lower your voice a bit?"

Their voices were slightly muffled and following Lydie's instruction, Vida spoke lower, obliging me to prick up my ears. I hesitated to stand up and go to listen to them more easily, but if one of them would come out, I wouldn't give much for my chances.

"You can't keep on like this, Lydie!"

"Oh, relax, Vi... I was bored. And I didn't hurt her."

"You didn't hurt her?! You have no fucking idea of it! Maybe this girl is ultra-fragile mentally."

There was a light silence before Lydie answered on a silly tone. "If this girl is fragile, maybe I just made her lose her head, yeah. But you know that at this time we can't allow ourselves to be weak."

"And we can't allow ourselves to treat each other like this between Psi either! We have to support each other, not throwing a spanner in each other's works!"

Another silence. Followed by laughter, but I didn't know them well enough to know determine from who it came from.

"Oh stop it, we both know you are mad at me only because of what I did this afternoon. Don't try to deny it, I read you like an open book."

"Very funny. But I'd appreciate that you stop in the future."

"I don't promise anything. You are too funny."

"Lydie..." groaned Vida.

Only in this first name, Vida succeed in conveying a real threat. The same laughter sounded. Lydie, probably. When she spoke, even from where I was, I clearly heard the underlying threat in her voice, like a razor blade.

"Please, Vida. We both know that if you wanted to confront me, I would win."

"Like we both know you wouldn't recover from a bullet in the head," replied Vida on the same tone. "And even you need to sleep."

Some rustles sounded but I heard no more voices. They probably went back to sleep. I sighed and laid back down, before reaching my hand out, making three shingles swirling between my fingers while thinking.

The façade agreement between Lydie and Vida was probably only this : a façade. I guessed they had to feign to like each other at least a minimum if they had to go on Ops together. But on the other side... There was something strange in their speech. A tension, secrets which seemed dangerous to me.

And I wasn't sure I wanted to discover how dangerous they were.


	6. Chapter 5

**Sorry guys, totally forgot about FanFiction, I'll publish 3 chapters in row to be forgiven !**

* * *

**Chapter 5**

"I agree with Christian, you look like a mess."

"Thank you Vida, here's what's always pleasing to hear," mumbled I, rolling my eyes.

Lydie, leaning on the pick-up's trunk, sniggered. "I told you she was awful in the morning."

Christian finished folding up our tent and gave them an exasperated look. "The point is not to know if Vida is a pain in the ass in the morning..."

"Hey! Say that again and..."

The Green didn't let her finish her sentence and kept on. "...but to convince Cassie that she's sick."

I sighed and crossed my arms. Even if his worry had a touching side, it was beginning to become redundant. Lydie turned in my direction, observed me and then nodded to Christian.

"I agree. This night, I believed redness I saw on her cheek was due to the flames... but as you still have it, this is not the case. Do you have a fever?"

"No."

"Yes," answered Christian at the same time.

I gave him a bad look, but understood with his expression I had no chance to contradict him. I sighed again and leaned against the car, arms crossed. I closed my eyes as black spots were suddenly dancing in my seeing field. Okay. I was sick. I understood I had said it aloud only when they all turned their heads towards me in unison. Vida threw me her water bottle with her gift.

"Bottom's up. We've got a few more."

I executed myself, resigned. I didn't see how drinking a half-liter of water would change something but... Vida frowned. "Why don't you want to admit you're sick?"

I looked down. "You have never known a camp... You can't understand."

Liam had explained to me that all the kids from the League were fed and housed in one of the bases across the country. They had more or less access to all they could need. They didn't have to fear hunger, cold or sickness. Among all of us, the League's members were the best well off, contrary to all those living on the run or in the camps.

"When we were in Caledonia, being taken ill meant almost each time dying. The camp wasn't so big, so when someone was missing, we always noticed it. And when it was because of a sickness, we had time to be apprehensive about it, to see it coming. And the ones who were sick had time to understand they would never heal. Sometimes some PSFs had mercy for them and finished them off."

An arm wrapped around my shoulders and I knew it was Christian's. "I think it was more fear to be sick themselves than mercy. But you won't end up like this. Here we can find medicine. And we will. Okay?"

I nodded. Lydie observed us for a few seconds before looking to Vida. "Are you in a hurry to pick off some military guys?"

The Blue shrugged. "I guess beginning one or two days late on our planning would still allow us to come back in advance. While it doesn't taint my track record, we can make a detour."

Lydie took a grin and looked back at us. "We're gonna help you then. We saw a supermarket on the road. We can lead you there. We break in, we find the medicines, we give them to you, and you'll never hear of us again."

I can't help but throwing her a perplexed look. Without really knowing why, I didn't really believe in it. In her plan than in the fact we wouldn't hear of them again.

"I'm in," said Christian before making a slight head movement to the car. "C'mon Cassie. Get in."

I thought about protesting, but even when I was talking alone against someone I rarely came out victorious, so against three people seeming all more stubborn than each other... I had no chance. With a sigh, I got in the passenger side.

After a journey that seemed to last an eternity -and I had slept- I saw the pick-up Vida was driving stop on a supermarket's car park. Christian imitated her, parking our car just next to theirs. Slamming the vehicle's door shut behind me, I winced in front of the supermarket. It must have already been declared insalubrious before the start of this IAAN thing.

"You're sure the medicines we're gonna find in it won't be out of date?" mumbled I while walking to the entrance.

Vida sniggered as Christian answered that only the future would tell us. When we came to the door, apparently blocked according to the kick Lydie just threw at it, Vida raised her hand to open it with her power. The door opened instantly and I threw an impressed look to the Blue. She was doing this with such ease... She must have felt my gaze because she turned towards me. She shrugged.

"It's only a question of will, believe me. I am one of the obstinate kind."

In the corner of my sight, I saw Christian rolling his eyes. "We wouldn't have guessed," whispered he.

I gave him a slight nudge without being able to stifle an amused smile. He turned towards me, raising his eyebrows. "What? That's true, isn't it?"

I shook my head, giggling. Vida threw us a murderous look, so fast that her blue hair flew in her back. I couldn't stifle a thrill. This girl could be really kind of scary when she wanted. Or rather she was even scarier when it was her intention than when it wasn't.

"Don't you want to shut up a bit?! We might not be alone. And if we get spotted because of you, I'll pull your head off."

My laughter disappeared immediately and I couldn't avoid noting the satisfied smile on her face.

"Cassie, you're with Lydie. Christian, you come with me."

The Green winced.

"Why don't we go the four of us separately ? It would be quicker."

"Because, honey, if we split and you fall on a skip tracer, I couldn't do anything to save your little Canadian ass if I am on the other side of the store."

He opened his mouth before shutting it. She had a point and he knew it. But Christian didn't like not to have the last word. He mumbled something incomprehensible under his breath before following Vida, with a sullen look. For my part, I was glad to be with Lydie. She also had her scary side but since yesterday evening she scared me less than Vida.

Nevertheless, I had to admit that the conversation I grasped yesterday was of the strangest -and not of the most reassuring-. It succeeded in keeping me awake during my whole guard duty, without even feeling the need to close my eyes a few seconds. I had turned their speech inside out in my head, stretched them, studied them, folded them , in every angle possible. I had always come back to the same statement.

Lydie and Vida were hiding something.

I had however not even a hint of a beginning of an hypothesis about what this could be about. I had hesitated to talk about it to Christian ; it could have turned his attention away from my cold -because no, I still wasn't going to admit it could be more serious than that -

I jumped when fingers snapped in front of my face. I blinked to see Lydie looking at me with an exasperated look. The characteristic exasperation from those who had already repeated the same thing three times to you without you having understood yet. I shook my head before wincing. Bad idea if you had a headache.

"Sorry," mumbled I, following her in another path. "You were saying?"

"I was asking if Christian and you were dating."

I stared at her for a moment, slowing down. Christian and I? Me and Christian? Christian Schmidt and Cassiopée Lennox? How could such a crazy idea have crossed her mind? I chuckled before telling myself that if the position were inverted, I would have asked the same thing.

"No, absolutely not! We're just friends."

I raised an eyebrow. "Why? You like him?"

She burst out laughing and I thought Vida would have slapped her if she was somewhere around. I noticed the neon light was making the pink stocks in her hair standing out while Lydie shook her head. By the way, how could the neon lights be lit in an abandoned supermarket?

"No way. Greens aren't my thing."

And it was at this exact moment I should have noticed something was wrong. A Green talking about other Green like this?

However the situation didn't allow me to interrogate myself.

The click sounded behind me a split second before I saw Lydie freezing. It took me a second to understand what this sound was. The safety of a firearm being removed. A low voice, male, sounded behind us. "Let's see what we have in there... Two little teenagers who just threw themselves in the lion's den. And who are certainly going to make me earn a pretty sum of money."

The man was standing behind us, so we couldn't guess which one of us he was aiming at.

Lydie took an half-smile. "For this, you'll have to catch us, sweetheart. Especially since you won't shoot. A dead kid doesn't get you money."

"Oh, but you're gonna listen gently to me because you want to still be able to use your legs. Raise your hands and turn around. Slowly."

My heart was racing in my chest, like it wanted to get out through my rib cage. I raised my hands like he said and, while turning around, my gaze met Lydie's. She nodded discreetly, without me knowing to what she was agreeing. I faced the man whose build was more than impressive. He was wearing a military uniform and I swallowed harshly. If he was or had been a soldier, our chances to escape just fell drastically. No. It was out of the question that I end up in a camp again.

This thought just finished to form in my mind that my instinct took over. With my right hand, I made a brusque movement to the side and the weapon followed my move. It fell on the ground and Lydie sent it behind us with a boot kick. The man opened his eyes wide but reacted as fast as the brown-haired girl, betraying a close if not similar training. He brandished a small yellow device. He was going to press it but Lydie was faster than him and struck him with a circular kick, hitting him directly in the wrist. She didn't allow him to recover from his surprise and brought him down in a series of movement I was incapable of distinguishing. She put her foot on his torso to prevent him from standing up, but the skip tracer caught her ankle and made her fall backwards. She groaned. "Do you really want to play this?"

The man suddenly froze and his gaze became blank. The young woman stood up as a satisfied smile stretched her lips.

"Where are your handcuffs?"

"In my trouser pocket."

Lydie nodded without taking her eyes away from the presumed military. "Are you alone in here?"

"No."

"The others are all after the two other kids? How many?"

"Yes. Only one."

New nod. The man stood. I took a step backwards, but Lydie stretched her hand out to order me to not move. My heart in my mouth, I looked at the adult as he walked to pick his weapon up. He disappeared in another department. Lydie threw me a look over her shoulder. A wicked smile was distorting her face. "Come on. The show has just begun."

I was however incapable of any moves. I stared at her, eyes wide. Only one word was running through my mind. Orange. Orange. Orange. Orange. Orange.

"You... You just... You are..."

She rolled her eyes. "No, I am not a Green. Yes, I am an Orange. And yes, I influenced this guy. No need to make a drama out of it. By the way, I really like your little reasoning to know what my color was. It's fortunate that you aren't a Green. Even I saw how wobbly it was. Some Yellows manage without gloves. And just because Oranges and Reds are rare doesn't mean that you will never meet one. So come on, I want to see the show!"

She ran after the man and my feet surprised me by following her. Did she just influence me too? Or was I simply too much in shock to appreciate my actions?

When we joined Christian and Vida, the latter was holding a woman in her early-thirty against the wall with her gift. She threw us an impatient look. "Not too early. I'm almost beginning to get a cramp."

She seemed to barely care about the armed man near Lydie. This one points the soldier with her chin without giving up her smile. "Put her down."

The Blue frowned while the woman against the wall yelled to a certain Gabe -probably the other adult- to shoot.

"You're kidding, I hope?!"

"Put her down. It's an order."

Vida defied her with her look before finally lowering her arm. The woman crashed on the floor. Lydie sighed hearing her shouting again while standing up.

"You're wasting your time. He can't hear you."

The adult put one hand to her belt and felt it quickly when Vida raised her other arm. She was holding a gun ; the woman's face fell.

"Is it what you're looking for?"

Gabe suddenly aimed his weapon on the soldier. Vida rolled her eyes. "C'mon hurry up, dude, that's not all we have to do."

Lydie's smile, even creepier than a few minutes before, became slightly amused. She bowed her head toward her team member. "You know he is only listening to me?"

"Then tell him to speed up a bit," mumbled she. "It has lasted long enough."

She sighed. I jumped when a hand landed on my arm. I turned my head toward Christian. I had been so obsessed by the scene that I hadn't even ask myself where he was or if he had been hurt. I didn't know how I sensed that the gunshot was going to be shot but I turned just in time to hide my face in Christian's jumper. I couldn't however spare my ears from the roar sounding the next instant. I closed my eyes. Christian slid his hand behind my head to hold me tighter against him and, I guessed it, to prevent me from watching. But my imagination was doing the work for me. Even with my eyes closed, I could see the woman falling backward, eyes wide open, a bullet hole right in the middle of her forehead. A second shot sounded. I had a start. I thought Lydie would only make him shot once.

The exasperated tone of the young woman resounded in my back. "It's good, threat eliminated. You can watch, princess."

After a hesitation, Christian let go of me and I stepped back. I didn't bother to notice the nickname. My gaze fell on the two figures lying on the floor. My mind went blank for a second, as it wasn't what I had expected to see. The woman was lying on the ground, in a pool of blood, visibly hurt to the chest.

"Yeah, I preferred him to shoot her in the chest than in the head," said Lydie, following my look. "There is less blood everywhere this way."

"And, I would have preferred that you let me shoot him rather than obliging him to shoot himself in the head. Or at least that you let me time to go further. Fuck, I'm covered in blood!"

It was true, half of Vida's face was recovered by a red liquid. I look down to Gabe's body... which had simply no head anymore. I was understanding why Lydie had said that. There literally was blood everywhere, even on the top of the shelves. Its metal smell reached me the next second. My stomach heaved and I barely had time to rush to another department before throwing up my last meal. "You'll need to be hardened a bit, Cassie, mumbled Lydie from where she was.

I stood up, my legs shaking, and holding to the shelf to try to find my balance back. Christian quickly joined me and opened his backpack to hand me a pack of tissues. He wiped my mouth with it before putting his arm around my shoulders to support me.

"Lydie is an Orange", whispered I.

"I know," answered he, replacing a strand of hair behind my ear. "I was already telling it to myself yesterday, but I didn't want to worry you."

Such an irony. Here was the thing the girls were hiding from us and which I didn't want to tell Christian. While he had already understood and didn't want to tell me neither. We joined the two girls and I forced myself not to look to the two corpses. Vida threw us an impatient look, picking up Gabe's weapon.

"They probably already called the PSFs. So shift! Or there will be more deaths," added she looking to Christian.

"Gosh, how could you already move on to something else?!" cried I. "Lydie just killed two people!"

She turned toward my with a more than scary smile and I had to prevent myself from stepping back. She shrugged. "It's part of life. Or, of death in this case."


	7. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

My head rested on the pick-up's window, I was absent-mindedly listening to Lydie, Vida and Christian's voices. Well... I was hearing them but from there to say I was understanding what they were saying... I tightened Christian's coat around me as a new chill was shaking me. I clearly couldn't pretend to be fine anymore. We had left the mall empty-handed ; there was almost no fresh food and the medicines we had found were out of date. And since I had thrown up in the supermarket, my state was getting worse. Like my body finally agreed to admit microbe had taken control. We had set up the camp close afterwards, as soon as Lydie had allowed us to stop, as she wanted to move away as far as we could. Christian was convinced she had used her power on him to oblige him to drive this much. He wanted to stop much earlier, considering the state I was in. As soon as he had set up the tent, after Vida had showed him how to go faster, he had sent me to sleep. He had defied me to tell him no and had announced he was going to take my guard duty. And when he had succeeded in waking me up, it was only to give me his coat after seeing how cold I was and sending me close to the heating in the car.

The driver's door opened and I jumped. Christian raised his hands. "It's only me."

He got in to sit on the seat before slamming the door shut behind him. He rested a hand on my forehead.

"It's fine. At least you don't have a fever any more," he said after a while.

I nodded slightly while he sighed. "Lydie and Vida had in mind to go their own way for their mission and to let us go ours after finding the medicines but..."

"...but we didn't find them," I cut. "So what, they're staying?"

He gave me a flick on the nose. "You're gonna let me talk, are you?! But yes, that's the idea. Lydie rather said something like she didn't really know why but she liked the little blondie - it's her words, not mine- and that she wanted to help us. Actually, their mission requires to go in a military camp. According to Vida, a warehouse might be in there with food, blankets and very likely medicines."

I stared at him, incredulous. He wasn't proposing what I was thinking he was proposing?

"You don't really want us to burglarize a military warehouse?! We're gonna get killed!"

"No, I am not talking about burglarizing it ourselves, that's for sure. I don't want to go back to a camp again. But Vida and Lydie have to go anyways. And Lydie is sure she can break into the warehouse and bring us these medicines. We will only have to wait a few meters away with the cars. They have to go by foot or they are gonna be located."

I frowned. "Does it mean you already accepted?"

"Yes, I said we were in. I don't like seeing you like this. And I don't want it to worsen."

I closed my eyes and rested my head on his shoulder. I couldn't keep a small smile. I knew he missed the boys as much as I did. He was looking for being Liam, Chubs and Jack at the same time, I was sure of it. Liam for his caring and thoughtful side; Chubs for his pragmatic side; and Jack for being able to take impulsive decisions because of his good intentions.

"Thank you... What would I become without you, Cricri?"

I didn't see it, but I could easily figure him rolling his eyes.

"You will discover it very soon if you call me that again," mumbled he.

I burst out laughing. I couldn't however keep a wince when my laughter turned into a coughing fit.

"It's very rude to contaminate your peers with your microbes, did you know that?"

His remark made me chuckle even more and so cough even more. I threw him a sideways glance and he raised his hands in reddition.

"Okay, I'll be quiet. I'll be right back, I'm gonna see the itinerary with the girls. We won't leave late."

I nodded and followed him with my eyes while he got out, until he totally disappeared from my field of vision.

* * *

"I don't like this."

I raised my head from my book and looked out for Christian. I finally found him standing, resting on the hood of our car, looking towards what I guessed was the warehouse were Lydie and Vida were gone. I turned down the corner of my page, closed my book and stood up. Standing on the girls pick-up dumpster, I gave a reproachful look to the Green.

"Me neither. Unlike you, I'm only doing what's asked. You accepted to be asked to do this."

I had no clue of what the girls' mission consisted of and I didn't want to know. As they didn't need us, that we wouldn't be useful, that they didn't want us to come with them and inversely , they had entrusted us to... watch the cars. Nothing really fascinating but that suited me perfectly. It would have suited me a bit more if we were more than a kilometer away from the-full-of-soldiers-ready-to-deliver-us-to-the-government warehouse, but at least we weren't in the warehouse.

I raised an eyebrow and looked to Christian. "Unless Lydie made you accept?"

He rolled his eyes, but I knew this idea had also crossed his mind. I wasn't really familiar with Oranges powers, but I guessed they could influence anyone without the concerned person figuring out.

"She wouldn't need to," he mumbled. "I would have accepted. Watching the cars, not really rocket science."

I smiled at him slightly, shrugging. Since we had understood Lydie was an Orange, I couldn't cease to ask myself how badly she had influenced us. If she already worried me when I thought she was a Green, now she was terrifying me. I didn't know the extent of Oranges powers but I knew mental control was their ability and that they were very feared. At each thought crossing my mind, I couldn't help but ask myself if it was her who had put it there or if, on the contrary, she could read everything that was going through my mind. I was paralyzed with fear in her presence and Christian often had to remind me if not to act normally, at least to react.

"But I find we are still too close to the military base. It wouldn't have killed them to leave the cars one kilometer further."

I tilted my head with a slight amused smile. "They would have had to walk two kilometers rather than one. They could have been more tired. And so, maybe it would have killed them."

He threw me an exasperated look which made me smile before I was shaken up by a small coughing fit.

"Stop trying to think, Cassie, you don't have my brain and you're sick."

I manage to giggle across my cough. "No, I don't have your brain, that's for sure."

He rolled his eyes again but didn't reply. I went to sit back on the pick-up trunk's side, leaving my legs hanging into the void. I reopened my book to pick my reading up. Pages and chapters went by, and so probably did minutes. I could hear Christian pacing up and down around the two cars. After a sigh, I finished by suddenly closing my book and reaching my hand out to stop the young man in his race.

"Don't you want to stop a bit? You're making my head spin."

"Sorry. I'm only worrying. It's more than one hour. They should be back by now, no?"

"Did they give you an hour?"

He signed it was a no.

"Then we wait. We will worry if they aren't back by nightfall."

"I'm gonna pick them up," announced he suddenly.

I blinked, surprised. Why couldn't he listen to me for once?! The few seconds I needed to react allowed him to sink into the woods.

"Christian! Christian, wait!" I jumped off my perch and ran after him, something that was not easy in my condition.

"Wait! You know as well as I do that it's madness!" dropped I across a coughing fit. "You can't fight and you aren't armed! These two girls are overtrained. Even if they got caught, what's not certain, if they couldn't pull through how do you think you can?"

I heard him sigh but he didn't slow down his pace. I kept a swear word.

"Christian ! It's supposed to be you the sma..."

I cut myself suddenly when wood snapped behind me. Christian threw me a look over his shoulder, eyebrows raised. His eyes landed for a second on a point behind me before I felt a presence in my back. I turned around and, the next second, a hard object crashed into my skull. The soldier's face was the last thing I saw.

* * *

In the dark room where the soldiers had confined us, I was staring at Christian, terrified. The young man hadn't come back to consciousness and the blood stain on his forehead was getting bigger. Blood was even beginning to drip on the floor. I reached out my hands that were tied together by a zip-tie and tried again to attract him with my power. As nothing happened, I came out with a frustrated moan before being shaken up by a coughing fit. I used to not master my power very well, but using it without using my hands was simply impossible. But I had to react, to try something, no matter what ! Or the both of us would die. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. Nobody was going to die. Or yes, everyone would, but not today. Wasn't the head a part of the human body which bleed a lot ? The wound was maybe without importance...

"Christian?" called I with a low voice. "Christian, come on, wake up..."

I waited a few seconds, my heart racing off the charts. Nothing, no reaction. I nervously bit my lip. Gosh, I couldn't strictly do anything. Chubs' voice sounded in my mind. Panicking is only going to confuse your mind. Calm down.

"Easier said than done, Imaginary Chubs," mumbled I.

All the same, I decided to listen to him. I closed my eyes and inhale deeply. I held my breath three seconds before exhaling slowly with my mouth. Now free your hands. It's zip, not even handcuffs. It's doable. I sighed. Liam had already tried to explain to us how to get rid of this kind of hobble, but I had never really listened to him. I never thought it would be useful one day. And so I had no idea of how to do this. And Imaginary Chubs wasn't helping. Or rather, yes, I had an idea, but I was almost sure it wouldn't work. Lost for lost... I reached my hands before me and pulled the strongest I could towards the exterior. Nothing happened, as I suspected.

I mumbled a swear word when I heard gunshots outside. My blood froze. No matter what it was, it was all but good. Nevertheless, I heard nothing that could be in one way or another wrestling sounds. So what, the soldiers were training to shoot? It was quite unlikely anyway.

I came out with a cry when the door suddenly opened. A figure carved into it and my heart speed up in my chest. There! They were going to kill us. Or send us right back to a camp. I didn't know which one I preferred.

When the blindness due to the sudden input of light cleared, I frowned. The soldier had pink strokes and mixed skin? I felt a ghost of a smile stretch on my lips in understanding. The soldiers didn't train to shoot. They killed each other on the will of an Orange. This was more likely.

"So are you coming?" said Lydie. "If we drag on too much, Vida's really gonna kill us."


	8. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

I stared at Lydie without moving, literally flabbergasted. Blood splashed on the young woman's chin and hair, but she didn't seem to care. The butt of a weapon exceeded from the holster blistering her thigh. She threw me an impatient look before sighing.

"Right. Blues can't do anything without their hands."

She took off the chain she was wearing around her neck to reveal a Swiss army knife. She opened it and gestured for me to reach my hands out. She slid her knife between my skin and the plastic before jerking. As soon as the tie fell on the ground, I pushed her away and rushed to Christian. I passed my hand on his forehead to clear the hair, hoping to see the wound but there was too much blood, I couldn't distinguish anything. I shook him sharply to wake him up.

"Christian! Christian! Come on!"

I felt more than saw Lydie squatting beside me. She mumbled. "Stop shaking him like this, or I won't be able to free his hands without hurting him."

But I wasn't listening to her and shook even more the young man. He didn't deign to open his eyes despite my entreaties. Lydie rolled his eyes before yelling at me to shut up. She slid her knife under the plastic as she did for me.

"Everything really needs to be done by oneself," grumbled she.

While she was cutting the tie, Christian opened his eyes. He frowned a second as I threw myself to his neck.

"Oh my God!"

"You're welcome," said Lydie her voice dripping with sarcasm.

I moved away from Christian and threw an incredulous look to the Orange before catching on. She just had obliged Christian to wake up with her gift. At this thought, my stomach painfully clenched. My fear of Lydie was returning at a gallop.

"What happened?" mumbled the Green.

"You got arrested and I came to save your ass. So move!"

I instantly jumped on my feet like Christian. Lydie. Again. I threw her a bad look to signify her I understood it was her who had just influenced us.

"You catch on quickly, blondie," she said before going out. "Keep as quiet as possible. I didn't kill them all and I must avoid to do it or the League's gonna rap my knuckles again."

She ran outside and waved us to follow her. I put my arm around Christian's shoulders to support him while he was trying to do the same with me. I was sick and he was hurt. I didn't know who was helping who in this story. And I also didn't know how I was keeping the pace Lydie was imposing on us. She was really running very fast. I wasn't a bad runner but I had to focus on my breath to manage following her. I kept my eyes on her back and on the pink hair flying across it to avoid looking at the corpses hidden in the shadows or lying in full view resulting of Lydie's previous crossing. Most of the soldiers we met were frozen at our passage, to my biggest relief.

Christian was seemingly struggling to follow. I was supporting him as much as I could with my power to conserve as much as possible, but I wasn't sure if it would be enough. I was feeling him weakening and I was increasingly fearing that he would lose consciousness again. As soon as we hit the ground outside the warehouse, bullets spurted out around us. I released a yelp when some scratched the surface of my skin.

"Lydie! I thought you were handling this!"

She slowed down to come to us and put Christian's other arm around her shoulders to help me support him. She clenched her teeth. "Yeah, I was thinking that too. But my power is a bit more complicated to master than yours, and I don't really have the habit to run while controlling about thirty people at the same time!"

A second scream sounded and this time I was sure it wasn't mine. I understood it was coming from Christian at the exact moment I felt him sliding form my arms. He had been hit. Without thinking, I caught him up with my power to recover him. Lydie threw us a look before swearing. She stopped suddenly, forcing us to do the same.

She turned hastily towards the soldiers surrounding the warehouse. All of them froze. Deep inside me, I knew what she was going to do. But with a kind of morbid fascination, I couldn't turn my eyes away from the show playing out in front of us. The soldiers turned away from us and faced each other. They kept their arms raised, weapons pointing to their colleagues.

And the shots went off.

A few seconds later, they were all down and there was only a stack of inert bodies. There was no sound around us anymore, except for our panting breaths. A violent coughing fit shook me up and I had to let go of Christian. Running had been a very bad idea. When I succeed in catching my breath, I took a peek on Lydie. She went pale and a trickle of sweat was running down her forehead.

"Lydie? You okay?"

She jumped and turned toward us. The terrifying spark in her gaze was back. She threw us a disdainful look. "I'm still in a better shape than both of you."

I sighed at her remark. The brown-haired girl observed Christian, sitting on the ground and trying to make a tourniquet on himself, before looking back to me.

"I'm gonna get Vida and the car. He won't be able to walk a kilometer. You two, stay here."

I opened my mouth to protest, but she had already disappeared into the woods.

* * *

"None of us can stitch up a bullet wound," noticed Vida, seating on the passenger's seat. "And we can't bring him to a hospital."

I raised my eyes to her, while continuing to wipe the blood from Christian's face. He had either fallen asleep about ten minutes ago or passed out, I had no idea, but the result was the same. Christian had succeeded in making himself a bandage and as he was the Green, none of us had emitted an objection. I had also bandaged his leg with a t-shirt while he had forced me to take about ten medicines among those Lydie and Vida had brought back.

The two girls had explained to us they had dragged on to come back because they had had to make a detour to shake off some soldiers. They succeeded in getting what they were coming for -and I didn't wanted to know what it was- as well as all the medicines they could find and some supplies.

"I don't know if he'd even survive until there," answered Lydie. "I think he has a concussion. We can't do anything about it. He needed a real doctor and as we can't go to the hospital..."

I didn't like what it was implying. I didn't like at all what it was implying. I would have been ready to bring Christian to the hospital but we knew once he would have been treated, the authorities would have been warned of our presence and hello again Caledonia.

"All that's left is The League."

My blood turned to ice at Vida's word. No. Not the League. Especially not the League. Everything Liam had told me about it worked well enough for me to really not to want to go there. Lydie suddenly raised her head toward Vida.

"No way."

The Blue defied her with her gaze.

"It's his only chance, you know it."

It was weird hearing Vida talking like this. I knew her for only a little week and she didn't seem to be the kind caring about others.

"And you also know we don't join the League like in a church," replied Lydie on the same tone. "Once you're in, you're in for good."

Vida opened her mouth but my words came out faster than hers.

"Deal. If you're sure the League can help Christian, then we're in."

_Or me, I'm in_. _Christian's gonna hate me but at least he will be alive_. Vida raised her eyebrows and pointed the Green out with her chin. "Don't you want to ask him before?"

"Blondie, you need to understand that if you decide to ask The League for help, it's like you were integrating it," said Lydie at the same time, serious. "And we don't leave the League so easily."

Liam's voice materialised in my mind. I fled from the League, but I had to be helped or I would probably have had to remain there. In the two meanings of the term. He never told me who had helped him to flee, but I was sure I wouldn't have the same chance anyways. Neither would Christian. But at least we would be alive. I bit nervously my lip before nodding.

"I know. But we're still coming with you. Never mind if we have to remain there."

Despite my voice made husky due to sickness, I hoped my determination was appearing through it. Vida nodded while Lydie mumbled something I didn't understand. The Orange didn't seem delighted. She shrugged, opening the car's door.

"If you want to throw yourselves in the lion's den, that's your problem. We hit the road again then, we'll find somewhere to spend the night and we'll tell Cate to find us a Leda Corp plane not so far. You should only hope that your bud survives until then," added she by looking at me.

And on this freezing speech, she stepped out of the car to get behind the wheel of the other one. I sighed and looked back again to Christian, his breathing was regular but he was so pale. I put my hand on his forehead. It felt as if he was beginning to have a fever. His leg bleeding seemed to have stopped, but we still had to pray for the wound not to get infected.

Vida slid into the driver's seat. "You're staying in this car?"

I nodded. Lydie was terrifying me too much.

* * *

This time I had to take my guard duty. I hadn't been able to avoid it. Seeing Christian's state, I preferred letting him rest. The medicine effect was beginning to work and so I could hope succeeding in staying awake for two hours. We had stopped in an abandoned campsite where we had found some trailers still in good enough shape for us to sleep in. It was pleasant to not sleep in a tent for once.

Usually, I liked to contemplate the fire or the stars, but tonight I couldn't take my gaze off of the trailer where I had put Christian and myself. He had come back to himself as I was about to leave to take my guard duty and he had forced me to take medicine again. Quite ironical situation as he was the one laid up. As a counterpart, I had made him take painkillers again, even if I hadn't had to insist much. He had surprisingly got back a few colours, but I didn't succeed in getting him swallowing something.

I tried to let my worries aside and looked back to the book I had found in one of the trailers. Anyway, I couldn't do anything to help Christian for now. I sighed while skimming through the pages. I wasn't even understanding what I was reading. This book didn't interest me. At least I was training with my power as I turned the pages with my ability. Hasty steps made me look up.

"Vida?"

Even before she had reached me, I saw her waving her hand and a heat's circle formed on my stomach. I had a hiccup of surprise by understanding she was using her power on me. The next second, I was up on my feet. She put her hands on my shoulders and looked me in the eyes. A strange glimmer was glowing in her eyes. It seemed like... fear? Was Vida able to feel it?

"You have to go. Now."

I frowned. "What? But...?"

"Lydie, she... she's totally crazy! I've always known it but now it's like she really is going completely crazy! She thinks you have nothing to do in the League and she doesn't want you to reach it. She intends to kill Christian."

I opened my eyes wide. I wanted to run to the trailer to get Christian, but Vida's grasp was too strong. Vida never seemed to be the kind to joke for everything, but this time I had no trouble believing her.

"We need to do something!"

"There's nothing you can do, Cassie. You have to go. She will kill you as soon as she will be able to. And I can't do anything either. She used her power on me; I'm incapable of keeping her from it. I'm sorry."

I struggled furiously, and when she finally let go of me, rushed to the trailer. I was however stopped in my course by Vida's power. I ended up lifted from the ground and sent over the other side. I threw a murderous look to the Blue. Keys landed in my hand. Without even looking at them, I knew they were the pick-up one's.

"Leave, Cassie. You have to forget him. You cannot do anything for him. The only thing you can do is saving your own life and never meeting our roads again. We're going to California. You should reach the East coast and it should be okay."

I continued to stare silently at her, without knowing how to react. I couldn't give Christian up. I wouldn't win against Lydie, that was for sure. Noises sounded on the trailer's side and I hastily raised my head. Vida prevented me from thinking more and pushed me with her power.

"Go!"

I threw her a last look before my body took control over my mind. I bolted into the woods, towards what I hoped was the cars' direction. I tripped a few times over branches but I miraculously managed not to fall. Tears were clouding my vision and blood was pulsing in my ears. But neither the snap of the branches I was crushing, nor the echo of my heavy breathing could prevent me from hearing the shot that tore the night apart.

**So basically I don't know if anyone's reading this (well I can see the stats but that's not the point), nobody follows or let me a review so I don't know if you like the story. There are 7 chapters left. Let me know if you want me to published them. I'm also writing a story about Lydie and her past so... Just tell me.**

**Luna **


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